How to make turmeric tea

A simple recipe for a tea made from Turmeric root

If you are like me, always game for endless cups of tea, but cannot drink plain water to save your life, this one is for you. Herbal teas made using regular herbs and spices in your kitchen / garden, is just what you need in your life. Bangalore has its cloudy and nippy days, when you crave to wrap your palms around a warm cuppa something and allow the gentle wisps of steam to touch your face. While that something is usually filter coffee or ginger tea, there’s only so much caffeine you can inflict on your nerves 🙂

I’ve turned towards the gentler herbal teas to tide me through the day. These herb and spice infused teas come with their health benefits and hydrating you at the same time.

Some of my favourite combinations are tulsi (holy basil) and ginger, lemongrass and fennel seeds, cardamom and lemon basil, cinnamon and orange peel, and then there is turmeric and honey. I always stock up on fresh turmeric root when they are in season. We tried growing some in the kitchen garden this year, but the yield was very small . The bonus of growing your own turmeric is that you get access to the leaves which make a fragrant wrap to steam cook parcels of food.

Coming back to turmeric and honey tea, there is just so much to love in this brew, starting with the golden mood-uplifting hue. Type ‘Cucurmin’ in PubMed and you get over 9000 results, which shows the sheer number of research papers published around this spice. The active ingredient ‘cucurmin’ in turmeric has been found to have anti-depressant like effects. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. No wonder, turmeric milk was most Indian grandmums’ go-to remedy for a sore throat. Turmeric is said to keep blood from coagulating which means it prevents arteries from getting blocked. It is also proven to reduce blood sugar and lower insulin resistance, being almost as effective as the popular drug, Metformin.

According to a study, combining turmeric with pepper improves the absorption of turmeric in the body, therefore making it even more effective for good health. So make sure you remember to add a good dose of pepper when you make curry!

So here’s the recipe for my favourite cup of soothing turmeric tea. Brew a pot and keep sipping it on a rainy day to keep the sniffles away 🙂

Print Recipe

Turmeric Tea Yum

 A simple recipe for a tea made from Turmeric root - enjoy the numerous health benefits of this magical spice.

Course

drink

Cuisine

indian

Prep Time

2 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings

cups

Ingredients

• 1.5 inchs turmeric piece of fresh root
• 4 - 5 black pepper corns
• 2 - 3 ginger slices fresh
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 tsps honey

Course drink Cuisine indian Prep Time 2 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Servings cups Ingredients 1.5 inchs turmeric piece of fresh root 4 - 5 black pepper corns 2 - 3 ginger slices fresh 2.5 cups water 2 tsps honey

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, keep the water to boil.
2. Peel, slice and crush the turmeric slices with a pestle or a heavy object. Crush the ginger slices and pepper corns.
3. In a tea egg or a piece of muslin cloth, place the crushed turmeric, pepper corns, ginger and drop this in the saucepan of water. [If you want, you can add the ingredients directly to the water as well.]
4. Reduce the flame once the water starts boiling, cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
5. Remove the tea-egg or filter out the spices using a fine meshed sieve.
6. Divide between two cups and stir in honey.
7. Drink while it is still warm.

Recipe Notes

Note: If you don't have the fresh root, use 1/2 tsp ground turmeric and follow the same procedure. Filter the tea using a fine meshed sieve.

Try this recipe for Turmeric Rice with Cauliflower and a fresh turmeric pickle

Turmeric Plant Image : Shutterstock